A Digital Self-Management Program (HOPE) for People Living with Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)
BACKGROUND Trial Design We present the results from a feasibility, randomised wait-list control group parallel design study, with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Participants were randomised to an intervention group or a waitlist control group.The intervention was a six-week digital self-management program (HOPE Program) for people with cancer. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of a digitally delivered self-management program for people with cancer. This will inform the design of a definitive RCT. Additionally, preliminary assessment of the impact of the HOPE Program, via secondary outcomes, will be used to assess signals of efficacy in a trial context. METHODS Participants were drawn from an opportunity sample, referred by Macmillan Cancer Support and were invited via email to take part in the study (N=61). Primary outcomes were rates of recruitment, retention, follow up, completion and adherence, sample size and effect size estimation, and assessment of progression criteria for a definitive trial. Secondary outcomes were self-report measures of participants’ positive mental wellbeing, depression, anxiety and patient activation (i.e. confidence to manage their cancer). The intervention and data collection took place online. RESULTS The recruitment rate was 77% (N=47). Forty one participants (n=41) completed the baseline questionnaires and were randomised to either the intervention group (n=21) or waitlist control group (n=20). The retention rate (attending all program sessions) was over 50% (all n=21, 51.2%; intervention group n=10, 47.6%; control group n=11, 55.0%), the follow up rate (completing all questionnaires) was over 80% (all 80.5%, n=33; intervention group 76.2%, n=16; control group 85.0%, n=17), and completion rate (attending 3 sessions and completing all questionnaires) was over 60% (all n=25, 61.0%; intervention group n=13, 61.9%; control group n=12, 60.0%). Engagement data showed that participants viewed between half (n=5.1, 51.0%) and three quarters (n=12.2, 76.3%) of the pages in each session. CONCLUSIONS All progression criteria for a definitive trial were met, as supported by the primary outcome data. On average, participants showed improved postprogram scores on measures of positive mental wellbeing, depression, anxiety and patient activation. A full scale trial of the digital HOPE Program for people with cancer will allow us to fully evaluate the efficacy of the intervention relative to a control group. CLINICALTRIAL This feasibility randomised wait-list control trial was retrospectively registered with the ISRCTN registry (https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN79623250) on Nov 4, 2020. The feasibility trial protocol has been registered and published [International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/24264. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/24264